Hooked On Power

They Morphin Into Fighters, Are Color-coded And Battle Putties Until The Big Monsters Come. Can They Reduce Barney To Rubble?

July 14, 1994|By T.M. SHINE Staff Writer

The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers are coming to town. At least the Pink and Green ones anyway.

Actress Amy Jo Johnson aka Kimberly the Pink Ranger and Jason Frank aka Tommy the Green Ranger will appear at the Festival Flea Market in Pompano Beach on Saturday. The twenty-some-things, who have in the past year become heroes to the 10-and-unders, recently spoke to us after a day of filming new episodes in Valencia, Calif., near Magic Mountain.

Q: You've been filming all day. What's the plot of the episode you're working on?

Pink Ranger: Oh, that's a secret. It's like a two-parter for the beginning of next season. Big secret.

Green Ranger: It deals with the rise of the White Ranger. A lotta new bad guys.

Q: When you first auditioned for these parts did you have any idea what you were getting into?

PR: I had been in a commercial workshop and they just told me there was an open audition but I don't think they really knew what it was. It was called Phantom back then. They just said it was some kind of a science-fiction, television kids' show. I didn't really have any idea what it was. Even when I got the part I didn't know what the heck I'd gotten.

Q: Now do you know? Would you have trouble describing the show in a couple of sentences?

GR: I'll tell you what it is. Saved by the Bell meets Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Q: Is it true you're all highly trained gymnasts?

FOR THE RECORD - ******CORRECTION PUBLISHED Friday, July 15, 1994:******Because of a reporting error, the phone number for information about the Power Ranger appearance 1-4 p.m. Saturday at the Festival Flea Market in Pompano Beach was incorrect on Thursday. The correct number is 979-4555. We apologize for the error.

PR: I've been a gymnast since I was seven, which helped in getting the part. I mean, half the audition was gymnastics 'cause we do all our own fight scenes and stunts. The Blue Ranger is a gymnast, Red Ranger is a martial artist, Black Ranger is a dancer ...

GR: I'm a fourth-degree black belt, been studying karate since I was 4. That's what pretty much got me through the door because, before this, I only acted around the house. And it helped big time 'cause the Green Ranger was supposed to be an Asian guy, initially. I went to the audition and saw all these Asian guys and thought, what? But I did some martial arts stuff and they liked it and called me back.

Q: But aren't the fighting scenes done in Japan?

PR: Yeah, that's Japanese footage. It was a Japanese show for 10 years in Japan and then they took it over here. So where there would be Japanese actors they just chop those parts out and make new stories with us. We don't fight in the costumes after our characters morph into the Rangers but we fight a lot in the show as ourselves, like when we fight the Putties.

Q: The Putties?

PR: The Putty Patrol. It's hard to explain, they're like these putty monsters that come down and they, like, fight us before the big monsters come. There [are) about 10 of them. They attack us in the park all the time.

GR: They didn't have anybody playing a Green Ranger in Japan so I was in the costume during the whole Green Ranger saga. That's me. I love wearing that outfit.

Q: Will you be in costume when you make your appearance here?

GR: No, I pretty much like doing the appearances as Jason Frank to let the kids know who I am, that there is an actor. I'm not just Tommy the Green Ranger. A lot of the kids call me Jason now.

Q: The character of Tommy and the Green Ranger episodes became extremely popular but he didn't become a regular. What's the status of the Green Ranger now?

GR: It's true, man. I was supposed to leave and do another show, that's why I wasn't a regular at first. But kids were petitioning, writing letters and calling and saying they weren't going to eat and stuff if the Green Ranger didn't come back. It was pretty wild, man. Fox was nervous and had to put a thing on the air saying `The Green Ranger will be back.' So yes, I'm back. I lost my power for awhile there but I've got it back big time.

Q: What is it about the Green Ranger that's made him such a favorite?

GR: I guess kids like him cause he saves the day sometimes, saves the other Power Rangers. And I've got the coollest Zord, the Drago-Zord. He's like the biggest one.

Q: When did you realize the show was going from being popular to being a phenomenon?

PR: Thanksgiving last year, actually, 'cause that's when Christmas shopping started. I'd gone home to Massachusetts and it was all over the news for the first time about the toys.

Q: Did friends and family insist you get them toys?

PR: I couldn't even get the toys. You know, I only have one Pink Ranger figure, given to me when the show first started.

Q: So you won't be bringing any to your appearance here?

GR: No, but I was lucky enough to pick some up when I was in Florida for an appearance a few weeks ago. The Toys `R' Us in Melbourne.